The feminist movement is at the forefront of the influence of the social movements of the last century.
In our popular discourse there are those who define themselves as feminists, and those who declare that they are not.
Some men see themselves as part of the struggle for the liberation of women, and some grumble about feminism and the "hatred of men" it brings.
The important gospel of liberation and equal rights for women does not only concern women.
It is very important to bring about equal pay, eradicate sexual violence and murder of women and correct a diminishing and degrading atmosphere for women.
It is equally important to understand that such moves will also benefit us men in so many ways.
An exact example of this is paternity leave, which has taken place in recent decades in many Western countries.
Amid the sea of exciting political reports, it has been possible to draw a line in recent days from another direction: maternity leave for fathers is underway.
Again ... what has already been assimilated in most of the Western countries, is still a thought in Israel.
While in Europe more than 30 percent of fathers go on maternity leave, in Israel it is less than one percent.
These may also be cultural barriers, but the law in Israel is the least generous in the models of OECD countries.
The mother is currently entitled to 15 weeks of paid maternity leave and can share it with her spouse.
And that too, provided she returns to work ...
The announcement of Merav Michaeli and Avigdor Lieberman is a step in the right direction, but a small step.
This is a promise of two weeks of paid maternity leave for the fathers at the end of the woman's 15 weeks, and provided she returns to work.
And all this on another condition: that the coalition pass the state budget for 2023.
And what in the world?
In Iceland, both parents are entitled together to paid leave for three months after the birth.
Then one of them can get another three months.
In Denmark, the mother is entitled to 14 weeks and the father to two weeks of overlap, then to another 32 weeks of paid leave, which they can divide between them.
In South Korea and Japan fathers get a year off!
Of which, 50 weeks paid.
In Israel, the revolution is a distant rumor, but there are public women who want to bring it about and I expect male politicians to join them, with all their might.
When my son was born, the expectation that I would return to full-time work immediately was unbearable.
Our popular perception, fathers, as those who "help" and not as equal parents, hurts mothers who kneel under the burden, but also us and our ability to be meaningful parents.
I enjoyed telling myself a story about “egalitarian parenting,” while in practice it was clear who the dominant parent was.
Divorced pain, ironically precisely the joint custody of recent years has led me to much fuller parenting.
Whole days and weekends where I am solely responsible for the well-being of my sons, and for building a home as an infrastructure for a successful exit into the world.
The debates about the presumption of infancy in these contexts are premature.
If the infrastructure for equal parenting is not created, it will be very difficult to argue that equality can be established in the custody of the children, separate from the other components.
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
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